Travel: Not getting into hot water at Yellowstone National Park and other cautionary tales

Valerie A. Russo More Content Now

Wednesday

Jul 11, 2018 at 2:47 PMJul 11, 2018 at 2:53 PM

I shouted, “No!” as a park visitor was about to step off the boardwalk to retrieve a brown fedora, which the wind had blown into the Midway Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park.

The man heeded my warning, a wise decision because the water beneath the thermal crust was hot enough to burn his feet.

At the edge of the hot springs, where heat-loving bacteria form brown, yellow and orange bands of color, the water temperature is about 130 degrees. At the aqua-hued center, where water bubbles up from underground chambers, it’s about 190 degrees — too hot for most organisms to survive. Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature.

Together, Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks in western Wyoming attract millions of visitors every year because of the abundant wildlife and awe-inspiring natural features, such as snow-capped mountains, thunderous waterfalls, erupting geysers, bubbling mud pots and steamy hot springs. Despite posted warnings, people are injured.

On a visit to both parks in June, I saw one close call (the hat incident described above), one serious injury and several risky situations in which no one was hurt.

Here’s what happened and a few tips on how to stay safer when visiting:

GRIN AND BEAR ITAt 11:10 a.m. on June 4, I had just boarded a shuttle boat bound for the western shore of Jenny Lake at Grand Teton National Park when I saw a young Black bear dash across the pedestrian bridge by the dock and into the woods.

I asked a park ranger if the mother bear would follow the young bear, putting bystanders at risk. The ranger said, “not likely,” because the youngster had been seen alone before. The mother would have new offspring to care for, so the year-old bear was on its own.

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORTAt 11:23 a.m. on June 6, a photographer was just a few yards away from two bison grazing near Nez Perce Creek in Yellowstone National Park. One bison was eyeing him, but the animal did not charge.

It would have been safer for the man to take photos through the open window of his car or stand behind his car, near an unlocked door, and take photos over the hood. Per park regulations, visitors should stay at least 100 yards from bear and wolves; at least 25 yards from other wildlife, including bison, which have injured more people in Yellowstone than any other animal.

BISON ATTACKAt 11:45 a.m. on June 6, I saw park rangers wheeling someone on a stretcher away from the Fountain Paint Pots area of the Lower Geyser Basin at Yellowstone National Park.

A park visitor told me that a bison had been walking through the thermal area — obviously, an area where the water was not terribly hot — and suddenly charged into the crowd of people, who were taking photos of the bison from the boardwalk. One woman could not get out of the way and was gored in the thigh by the bison.

The best advice is to stay away from crowds on long, narrow boardwalks through thermal areas, where an accidental nudge or stumble could result in severe burns, and where it’s difficult to see a bison approaching and difficult to get away quickly. Also, on busy roads in Yellowstone — where bison relish having the right of way — think twice before riding a bicycle or motorcycle, which offer no protection from a bison stampede.

LET SLEEPING ELK LIEAt 12:20 p.m. on a warm June 7, I photographed three cow elk resting on the grass of a shady traffic circle in the historic district of Mammoth Hot Springs at Yellowstone National Park.

Surprised to see elk resting in a traffic circle when wilderness was available, I asked a park ranger about their habits. She told me that cow elk sat there often, but stashed their calves in the bushes of nearby buildings.

The ranger also told me not to cross over to the traffic circle or approach the elk calves in the bushes, if I should see them. In the Mammoth Hot Springs area, cow elk have kicked people who have gotten too close to their calves.

For information about park safety, see:https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htmhttps://www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/safety.htm

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